The present invention relates to a database used for design of an integrated circuit device and a method for designing an integrated circuit device using such a database. More specifically, the present invention relates to design technology for supporting system-on-chip implementation.
Conventionally, semiconductor devices for an electronic apparatus are fabricated in the following manner. LSIs prepared individually for each type such as a memory and a processor are formed on respective semiconductor chips, and such semiconductor chips are packaged on a motherboard such as a printed board.
In recent years, in an attempt of utilizing electronic apparatuses in a wider range of fields, semiconductor devices used for electronic apparatuses have been requested to reduce the size, weight, power consumption, and cost thereof. This trend is particularly evident in the field of digital information home appliances. In order to respond to such requests from the electronic apparatus industry, the semiconductor industry has been forced to shift the keystone thereof from memories to system LSIs.
A system LSI is practically implemented by mounting memories and various logical circuits on one chip. Such system-on-chip implementation naturally requires process technology for enabling elements such as transistors having different structures to be formed on a common substrate. In addition, it requires great innovation in design technology.
As design technology for supporting such system-on-chip implementation, proposed is a design technique where data for designing a block composed of a plurality of cells for implementing a certain function (for example, one called a function block) is prepared beforehand, and such data is utilized to design a desired system LSI composed of a combination of such blocks. According to this technique, since the structure for implementing the function of each function block has been determined, only design of wiring between function blocks and peripheral circuits is required in the design of the entire semiconductor device. In this way, substantial improvement of design efficiency is intended.
However, the above conventional design technique only includes determining which blocks out of those obtained by lower-level design such as logic design and layout design should be used and how these blocks should be arranged and interconnected. It does not allow for flexible use of the respective blocks, such as using only some components of each block. This technique therefore may fail to fully satisfy a variety of requests directed to system LSIs such as size reduction.